Mentors in Armidale

Kirsti Abbott

Science Engagement Specialist

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Kirsti is an ecologist, science communicator and engagement specialist, and passionate advocate for nature based experiences. Her research career spanned 15 years and focused on invasion dynamics of insects in tropical climes.

Since transitioning from research to science communication, Kirsti has led core units at Monash University in Scientific Practice & Communication, a National citizen science project, School of Ants, and put her money where her mouth is and travelled around Australia in a campervan with her young family.

Kirsti established UNE Discovery at the University of New England, an engagement initiative that aims to create spaces for childhood growth and learning, through fostering experiences in STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts & Maths) that cultivate curiosity, creativity, confidence, collaboration and a can-do attitude. She now works with organisations to create educational science experiences and playscapes and embed the thinking of science into everyday life.